Foreign investors in the Korean stock market are not invincible entities that always make a profit

Some people mistakenly believe that foreign investors always make a profit.
However, foreign investors are not a single, unified force.
Funds from sovereign wealth funds or pension funds are likely long-term investments made several years ago; while they may have enjoyed significant profits by realizing some gains in the Korean stock market this year, there are other foreign investors who have not fared as well.
The fact that foreign investors net sold over 190 trillion won in the Korean stock market in 2026 does not mean they realized over 190 trillion won in investment profits.
Some foreign investors may have already exited after realizing losses, and while foreign investment through the UBS window in Samsung Electronics this August—estimated to be over 4 trillion won in long-term investment—might currently be at a slight loss, those losses have not yet been realized.